Pokemon Adventures - Red Vs Giovanni
by Shoz999
Summary: This is the day Red met Yellow in the Viridian Forest, the day Yellow met her first Pokemon and the day Red challenged the Self-Proclaimed Strongest Trainer, Giovanni. Putting his life on the line, literally and figuratively, Red realized this was not just a gym battle, this was a battle to end Team Rocket! A one-shot recreation of one of the greatest PKMN battles in PKMN history.


**Author's Notes - This is just something fun I want to do, rewrite one of the most amazing battles in Pokemon history with some extra dialogue here and there and some other details, like Mega Evolution. It was really fun doing this and I have to say, if Pokemon Adventures is ever adapted into an anime, Ron Pearlman (who does the cold but calm calculating mentor-style voice-work for Slade from Teen Titans) would be PERFECT for Giovanni. I don't know about you but I feel like, and this is my opinion, a lot of people get Giovanni's character wrong, even the greatest writers. Giovanni isn't necessarily some greedy James Bond-style villain with a stereotypical evil voice like he's depicted in the anime. He is greedy but not necessarily for the sake of wealth but rather his personal strength as a Pokemon Trainer, which is the main reason why he created Team Rocket, why his title is the "Self-Proclaimed Strongest Trainer" and why he abandoned Team Rocket in the games because he felt his personal strength was lacking, something I feel Pokemon Adventures captures almost perfectly whereas the anime fails to capture, instead portraying Giovanni as more like a James Bond-style villain. If you think about it, Giovanni is like the anti or dark version of Red/Ash who desires to be the strongest Pokemon Master through more darker and questionable means. If you like this, please leave a review behind and share your thoughts!  
**

* * *

The Viridian Forest. Home to many bright and wonderful young creatures where beginning trainers often travel through now looked dark and restless at this time of the day. Animals howling, bird's hooting crazily, others creeping and crawling from the bushes to the trees. A little nine-year old girl sporting a blonde pony-tail slowly crept through these dark woods, cautiously looking back and forth, left and right. She could feel the haunting winds blowing against her yellow shirt and black pants.

Yellow gulped. "Oh no. I'm lost."

The young girl could hear a sound slithering behind her, scuffling through the bushes.

Yellow turned around, startled with fear! "Eep!"

"Tini!" A bluish serpent popped from the bushes.

Yellow screamed frozen in-place. She couldn't move, trembling with fear as the Dratini's hate-filled eyes locked onto the terrified girl.

"Watch out!" A boy grabbed her out of harm's way!

Yellow could feel her body being carried away. She opened her eyes looking up, seeing a boy who looked a couple years older than her sporting jet-black hair and a red cap. She could see the boy looking back to the attacker. Yellow turned her head to the attacker, surprised.

"Saaaur!" A giant stubby dinosaurs on fours, bearing a particular red plant, hauled onto the angry Dratini's head with vine-whip.

The Dratini angrily tried to shake off the vines, stubbornly pulling back and forth.

"Whoa!" Yellow's eyes opened wide.

Venusaur sent the Dratini flying, the young dragon tumbling to the grass. Suddenly Yellow felt her body stopped in-place. She could feel the boy's hands around her waist as he laid her gently on her two feet, smiling.

"Whew! Are you okay? You're not hurt are you?"

Yellow spoke. "Um... I'm alright. Thanks."

"Well you gotta be careful! Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. I am. Uh..." Yellow looked past the boy, looking at the four-legged dinosaur nearby. She was surprised of how big it was, it was almost bigger than a truck! "Is that yours!?"

"Huh?" The boy looked to Venusaur. He smiled back to Yellow. "Yeah. Don't let it scare you. Venusaur's are as gentle as they come!"

Yellow smiled. "Wow, you're so lucky! I wish I had a friend like that too!"

"You don't have any Pokemon of your own?"

"No."

The boy noticed something past the girl's shoulder. He spotted a purple mouse frolicking through the plain grass.

"Hmm... Okay, then! Name's Red by the way." Red picked out two Pokeballs, one from his belt and one from his bag. "Take this Pokeball, the one I took from my belt, and throw it at that Rattata like I just did before with Dratini!"

Yellow saw Red smiling at her, holding her hands. Red released his hands, leaving behind two Pokeballs into the palm of the young girl's hands.

Yellow looked at the Pokeballs. In one of them, she could see two curious little eyes looking through the red glass. "Which one? One feels heavier than the other."

"The heavy one of course." Red pointed to the heavy Pokeball.

"Like... this!?" Yellow threw the heavier Pokeball, gasped as it flashed open.

"Pika!" An electric mouse looked pumped and ready for action, standing on all fours, it's bright thunder-bolt tail sprang up.

"Hmm? Rattata!" Rattata spotted the opponent with determined eyes, ready to battle.

"I'd like you to meet Pikachu." Red smiled. "It's an electric Pokemon and it's nickname is 'Pika'."

"Wow! A Pikachu." Yellow couldn't keep her mouth closed, surprised at the little fella.

Red pulled out a strange red device from his pocket. He opened it like a book to Yellow, showing her Pikachu's estimated stats, move sets, his level and other information she couldn't recognize on the screen.

"C'mon. Try giving Pika a command. This attack for instance." Red pointed to the first move on the list.

Yellow read the first move. "Thunder... shock?"

"Yeah! And hurry. Pika's waiting!" Red smiled.

"Um... o-okay." Yellow looked to Pikachu.

She could see Pikachu licking it's arm peacefully as Rattata looked as cautious as ever.

"Pikachu." She called out.

"Pika?" Pikachu quickly got on fours, ready for a command.

"Thundershock!" Yellow ordered.

"Pika!"

Pikachu buzzed full of electricity, launching a powerful Thundershock with a huge smile on his face. The thunder shock struck the purple mouse, the thunder shock was so powerful it sent the mouse rolling across the grass brimming with smoke. Yellow gasped as Red looked puzzled at Pika, remaining calm at the sight of Rattata twitching it's legs.

" _Man_." thought Red, looking at the happy Pikachu. " _You can tell Pika's happy to be back in the home forest._ "

Yellow looked at the spiral-eyed Rattata, laying there in the grass.

"Um. What do I do now?"

"It's weaken so now! Now throw the empty Pokeball at it!"

"Okay!"

Yellow held onto the empty Pokeball tightly, throwing it towards the spiral-eyed Rattata. The ball bumped into the mouse's body, opening with a flash of blue light! Suddenly the Rattata vanished and the Pokeball laid there wiggling.

"Um... is it captured?" Yellow looked at the Pokeball, wiggling a second time.

"If it flashes again, yeah." Red watched the Pokeball, wiggling a third time.

The Pokeball stopped wiggling, a flash of sparkling lights popped from the ball. It's captured!

Yellow smiled. "It's in the ball! You caught it Red!"

"Me?" He smiled to Yellow. "No. You captured it! That means you two are going to be friends!"

"Really!?" Yellow smiled, picking up the captured Pokeball. "Um. Come out Rattata!"

With the click of a button, Yellow opened the Pokeball. A flash of blue light beamed to the ground as a purple mouse emerged on all fours.

"Rattata? Rattata!" The Rattata smiled at Yellow, his new trainer! "Rattata?"

Yellow held the Rattata gently with both hands in the air, smiling at her new friend.

"Nice to meet you little guy!"

"Rattata!" Rattata smiled back.

"Wow!" Yellow looked to Red. "I didn't know a Pokeball can shrink a Pokemon that small."

"Doesn't matter how big a Pokemon is!" Red smiled. "The Pokeball will shrink it down and it'll fit right into your pocket! Pocket Monsters they are! Hmm?"

Red and Yellow felt an uneasy tension in the air, standing heel to heel together. They gulped as a drop of sweat trickled down on their faces, noticing the many hate-filled eyes dawning upon them from the woods.

"Wh-what's happening!?" Yellow's body felt heavier than usual, her feet trembling in fear.

"Rattata?" Rattata hid his face in Yellow's arms, scared of the huge piercing eyes staring down at them.

"It's okay. Don't be afraid." Red took a deep breath, thinking about it. " _But there is something strange. Wild Pokemon aren't so savage!_ "

"AAAH! EEEK!" Red and Yellow screamed, a boulder-size behemoth leaped from the bushes!

"GOLEM!" The behemoth shouted.

"Run away!" Red shouted.

Red and Yellow quickly ran away from the Golem only to stop shortly!

"Koffing!" A toxic ball coughing smoke out popped out of another bush.

"Here too?!" Red stopped Yellow from running any further. Red looked around quickly, seeing the angry eyes of Golem, Koffing, Dratini and Weezing dawning on them, they were surrounded! "Shoot!"

Red threw a Pokeball into the air, flashing open before the wave of Pokemon could get them! The angry wild Pokemon looked furious and confused at the same time, Red and Yellow were no longer there!

"Whew!" Red smiled at the sight of confused Pokemon below in the forest.

"Wow!" Yellow gasped in astonishment.

Her yellow eyes could see the vast forest, the nearby city buildings, the serene lakes and ponds, even the famous Mt. Silver that stretched to Johto as she felt the breeze against her. She could see all of Viridian City and Viridian forest up here. Yellow felt her body tightly wrapped together by one great big talon. She looked up to the great skies, a grey dinosaur flapping it's wide purple wings, smiling at the two in it's talons.

"Hello there!" Yellow smiled at the Aerodactyl.

"Raaah!" Aerodactyl gave a pleasant roar.

"Cool!"

"Hehehe." chuckled Red. "When things are coming at you from all directions. The only way to go is up! So where do you live kid?"

"Viridian City."

"Then Viridian City it is!" Red smiled at the nearby city-buildings, pointing to the direction where Aerodactyl was to take them but beneath that smile, something concerned him, those Pokemon from the Viridian Forest. " _The reckless wild Pokemon were one thing but that Dratini! It shouldn't even be in the forest! Why did they all attack at once? What's going on?_ "

* * *

A boy wearing a green cap shouted, "Where were you!?"

Yellow's friends stood there angry and worried on the flat grass near Viridian City's riverway. Red noticed many of them looking taller and older than Yellow, perhaps around his age. They shouted and yelled at her, as she just stood there, twiddling her thumbs worriedly next to the curious little Rattata.

One boy yelled nearby from a white picket fence, "We told you to stay out of the forest! Weird things have been happening there!"

A girl shouted near a park lamp, "Do you know how worried we were!?"

"Excuse me." Red spoke, looking at the boy near the fence. "What do you mean 'weird things'?"

"Like dozens of Pokemon suddenly appearing, even kinds we've never seen before around Viridian!"

"So what's going on in the Viridian Forest?" Red pulled out his Pokedex, looking at a map of the Viridian Forest.

"What's that?" Yellow curiously looked close by, wondering what that red device was.

"Huh? Oh it's a Pokedex." Red answered to the curious little girl. "I'm on a quest to gather knowledge about Pokemon into this Pokedex. It's a gift from Professor Oak!"

The green capped boy gasped. "You mean THE Professor Oak?!"

The girl added. "THE famous Pokemon Expert of Pallet Town!"

"Yeeup!" Red smiled.

"Wow!" The children smiled at each other.

"My name's Red. I'm from Pallet Town too and I'm heading for the Indigo League!"

Yellow's eyes widened in amazement, looking up to the confident young boy.

"Rattata?" Rattata noticed Yellow's curiousity.

Red continued. "I'm looking for other trainers to battle along the way so I can become the ultimate Pokemon Master!"

"Wow." Yellow whispered.

"Well." The green capped boy walked forward, scratching his head. "Sorry but this town doesn't have anyone who could match up to you."

Red looked confused, "Why not?"

The boy continued. "The thing is the Gym's been closed for a long time so there's no one here to train the townsfolk here. And the Gym Leader's nowhere to be found. Actually no one even knows who he really was. They say he was invincible in battle but something must have happened."

"Invincible huh? Which way is this gym?"

The young boy pointed to the nearby river, "It's across the river but..."

"Across the river! Got it!" Red walked forth with a Pokeball in hand. "Go! Gyarados!"

The Pokeball flashed opened, a huge water serpent splashed into the river way, it's fierce eyes and huge fangs lurking above the waters awaiting Red. The children quickly backed away, startled in shock and fear, away from the scary beast, everyone but the curious little Yellow.

"It's huge!" One boy pointed, his knees trembled.

"It looks scary!" Another girl froze in terror.

"It's okay!" Red smiled at them, standing close to the smiling Gyarados in the river way. "Don't be scared of Gyarados. He's very friendly. Also..."

Red calmly walked up to Yellow holding Rattata in her arms. Red bent his knees to the ground. The sun shined warmly on them as Red could see Yellow's curious eyes looking into his.

"Listen to me... please..." Red smiled. "Pokemon can look scary but they're basically kind, loving creatures."

Yellow stood silently on the grass, watching that confident smile, those honest eyes, listening to his words.

"If the owner is bad and trains his Pokemon to do bad things... Then they'll grow up to be bad too. But if you care for them with a kind and gentle heart..."

"Rattata?" Rattata looked up to Red, holding the same curiosity Yellow has.

Red smiled. "Then they'll always be your friends. Do you understand?"

Yellow let out a warm smile. "I do."

"As long as you understand that, you're on the right side!" Red stood up, smiling widely. "Okay then! Let's go!"

Red ran to his Gyarados, awaiting him in the river with a big smile on his face.

"W-wait!" The boy with the green cap shouted, pointing elsewhere. "The bridge is way the heck over-"

"Thanks!" Red smiled, hopping on Gyarados's back. He pointed to the other side of the river. "That way Gyarados!"

"GYAAAAARGH!" Gyarados smiled, swimming across the river.

Yellow continued smiling as she watched Red, the kids looked amazed as the young trainer reached to the other side of the river.

"Return!" Red aimed his Pokeball at Gyarados.

In a blue flash of light, Gyarados vanished.

"A-amazing." The Green Cap boy spoke.

"See ya later!" Red shouted from the grassy edge.

"Yeah." Yellow smiled, her cheeks flushing pink. "He is amazing."

"Hmm?" The boy looked down, smirking at the young girl. "What? You have a crush on him or something?"

"W-what? No." Yellow glanced elsewhere.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Yellow." The boy spoke.

"Yeah?"

"Your face is still red."

* * *

"The gym." Red spoke with a determined curiosity in his eyes.

Red looked at the Viridian City Gym. It looked poorly managed or rather abandoned. The windows on the second floor cracked opened, the concrete walls were dusty, cracked and stained, the windows on the first floor were shut closed by metal grates and the sign simply said "Viridian Gym Closed."

"Okay... this is the place!" Red pulled a Pokeball off his belt. "To reconnoiter a place like this... Venusaur's vines are perfect."

Red clicked opened the Pokeball, the large stubby green dinosaur flashed opened on the trashed grassy lawn of the Viridian Gym.

"Saur." Venusaur smiled.

"First let's take a look around the outside Venusaur!" Red smiled at the grass starter. "I sure have memories of this place. Remember Venusaur? This is the same place the Professor and I came to look for you when you were just a Bulbasaur! So it's been closed ever since then... the invincible missing Gym Leader... I've got to know what's going on here! Buuuut..."

Red sighed in disappointment.

"There's no clue! To anything here!" Red jumped back and forth in a fit of annoyance. "Guess we'd better go in... huh!?"

"Saur." Venusaur already went ahead, going past the broken bent-up doors.

"Saur! Hey! Wait up!" Red followed.

* * *

Red peeked out from the bent-up doors, his entire body covered in darkness from one side as sunlight warmly shined upon from the other through the windows and the broken door.

Red walked inside. "Whoa... it's pitch dark."

Red walked in step by step, his footsteps echoing against the dusty concrete floor. Red stopped, it was too dark to go any fu... VRRRROOOOM!

Red gasped, the lights turned on in a flash. He quickly turned around. "Someones here! Huh?"

"Saur?" Venusaur, by Red's side, quickly shielded his eyes with vines.

The only thing he saw in front of him was a statue, a trashed statue depicting a partially destroyed bust of someone. He scanned the statue, noticing that calm devilish smirk, seeing the name plate below.

"Viridian... Gym Leader... ummm... v-ni?" Red stopped reading, a huge chunk of the plate chipped off to the name below. "Can't even read the name! It's broken off. But..."

Red took a look at the bust at the head. It seemed... familiar...

" _... I have this strange feeling that I've seen this face somewhere before... but where..._ "

"Saur!" Venusaur quickly reached out his vinewhip, pulling Red away from the statue.

"V-Venusaur! What are you doing! What is it!"

"Saur!" Venusaur reached out another vine, pointing at someone walking forward, smirking in front of a bright blinding light.

"You came..." The stranger spoke." As I thought you would. Welcome to the Viridian City Gym."

Red tried to look at the mysterious figure but the light was too bright, his front-side posing in shadows against the light behind him. He could only hear his cool calm hollow voice nearby, echoing across the white empty room full of white-stone pillars.

"Who are you!?" Red shouted, bracing his arms against the bright light.

"I've waited a long time for you... Red of Pallet Town." He smirked.

"How does he know my name!?" Red remained calm as a drop of sweat dripped against the side of his head.

The stranger only walked further and further, Red could see he was wearing some kind of black suit, a uniform perhaps, his hands deep in his pockets.

" _W-what is it with this guy!?_ " thought Red.

His calm but cold blue eyes pierced through the shadows. "Look at that face... you must be a fairly experienced trainer by now. You've been on this mission to complete Oak's Pokedex for a while now. You must have defeated quite a few Gym Leaders in the process."

"I said... who are you!?" Red shouted.

"Was the last time we met the fossil hunt at Diglett's cave?" He spoke. "No? Perhaps when the Silph Company Headquarters was crumbling..."

Red looked astonished, realizing who this man was. That cool calm smile was not the same friendly warm smile he saw at Diglett Cave.

"It... can't be..." Red looked astonished.

 _"You're just a bundle of energy, aren't you Red? Hehe?" A man stepped out covered in dirt, bearing a friendly warm smile.  
_

 _"Hehehe... I guess so!" Red smiled back._

 _"Whoa!" Red saw a broken bust at the abandoned gym.  
_

 _"Umm..." Red looked at the tall quiet man.  
_

 _The tall man gave an innocent look. "What is it?"  
_

 _"I can't help but feel... like I've seen you somewhere before..."_

 _"Really?"_

 _"I can't remember where but... are you sure we couldn't have met?"_

 _"Look out, mister!" Red pushed the tall quiet man out of harm's way, away from the burning flames._

 _"Whoa! You really saved my life there." The tall quiet man smiled warmly to the young boy. "You really have a good heart Red."  
_

 _"Take care Red!" The man waved goodbye.  
_

Red gasped as sweat hit the concrete floor, "The scientist!? It... can't be..."

This wasn't the same man who gave that innocent warm smile to a friend. No...

That tall quiet man from before, 'the scientist', gave a devilish smirk.

"Hahaha. Your "can't be" is right. When I met you at Pewter City... you met the Viridian Gym Leader!"

Red stood there, trying to process this, his eyes shaking.

"You've clashed with Team Rocket many times. Now you get to meet its leader Red. Hence you can call me... Giovanni!"

"So that time... you being a friendly citizen! Was that just an act!" Red gritted his teeth, stepping away from the man.

"Saur!" Venusaur stepped back quickly.

"Were you just testing me!?" Red shouted.

Giovanni calmly smiled. "Something like that."

" _Okay... stay cool..._ " Red thought, taking a deep breath. " _My opponent is the Leader of the most evil Pokemon organization in the world! I can't let my guard down for a second!_ "

Red looked to his opponent, calmly standing there in the open.

" _So do I strike first or is that suicide?_ " Red shifted his eyes left and right, scanning the huge room. " _Is it only the two of us in this gym!? No. Can't be! He's got to have underlings skulking somewhere around here!_ "

"So." Giovanni spoke. "You're wondering how many of your enemies are in the building. You're wondering how powerful I am? And you're wondering if it would be wise to strike first?"

Red remained calm, hiding his shock. It was like he was reading him like an open book.

"Don't worry. There's no one here but you and me. I have no reason to lie." Giovanni slowly took off his jacket. "Not only that..."

Giovanni swung his jacket in the air, all of his Pokeballs rolled and scattered across the room.

" _What!?_ "

"I'm even unarmed." Giovanni slowly turned back. "You have me at quite a disadvantage. Now come at me with all you've got. Strike me down Red."

Red gritted his teeth, clenching his hand into a fist as he reached for a Pokeball.

"You... you wouldn't be making fun of me, would you!?"

"Poli!" Poliwrath flashed opened from the Pokeball.

"Heh." Giovanni gave a light smile.

Red looked frustrated, annoyed at this. He pointed towards Giovanni.

"Take him down Poliwrath!"

"Poli!"

Poliwrath dashed across the room, striking his fist through Giovanni!? Poliwrath looked shocked, the fist literally phasing through the man as mist formed.

" _Mist!?_ "

Suddenly his eyes widened as he could feel the cold icy breath breathing on his neck, blackened eyes lurking above his shoulder.

"Cloise..." The Cloyster grinned widely from behind.

Red gulped, he could hear that calm hollow voice echoing from behind.

"Already losing your cool Red? You get angry easily don't you? Hehehe."

Suddenly a beam of ice flashed past Red's shoulder, striking down the Poliwrath!

"Poli!" Poliwrath fell to the floor, frozen in deep ice!

"W-what just happened!?" Red's eyes looked puzzled, turning around.

"It took one second for you to grab your Pokeball." The stoic voice echoed from behind again.

Red could see both Giovanni and Cloyster sharing that same grin from a short distance away.

Giovanni continued speaking. "Three seconds elapsed by the time Poliwrath left the ball and began attacking. By the time you threw it, another second passed... for me, at least."

Red stood there puzzled, confused at what he was saying.

"More than enough time to reach the Pokeballs on the floor and launch a counterattack..."

"A-are you mocking me!" shouted Red.

"It's a shame Red... it really is." Giovanni sighed. "Most people seem to think that the mark of a good trainer is simply their command of Pokemon. One who simply commands Pokemon is a bad trainer. Instead the trainer's own power, skill and speed are just as essential. A good trainer is one who doesn't just command their Pokemon, they fight with them."

"So... so you think I'm a bad trainer?"

"Don't misunderstand. I could use a trainer with your stubbornness, your explosive energy, even your empathy and love for Pokemon... It's a shame that you're not on my side. There was nothing shameful about your attack."

"You think I'd join you!" Red sprung up angrily.

Giovanni continued. "At first I thought nothing of your early battles but then I kept hearing about the same young man scoring victory after victory. I've heard about your battles against my Rocket Lieutenants Surge, Koga and Sabrina. Quite impressive actually. That is no easy feat."

"So how about a bet?" Giovanni smiled, calmly turning around. "Your independence and honor are among the traits I admire in you. No actually... I don't. Ha ha ha."

Red readied his hand to a Pokeball onto his belt.

"As you can see, my Pokemon are on the floor and far from me. It would take six seconds for me to seize one but on the other hand, you have five Pokemon still at your side. Take my challenge and scatter your own Pokeballs across the ground."

"If I win?" Red spoke.

"If you can win under these conditions. I won't pressure you. I'll accept your decision. You can walk out of here peacefully almost as if we never met. If you accept the challenge. Name your bet and I'll accept it. However... if I win."

Red continued glaring angrily at the man.

"I'll mentor and raise you as if you were my own son. You will spend the rest of your life battling for me at my side on Team Rocket! Well? Does your silence signify assent? Or are you just afraid of the challenge?"

"Afraid? I don't think so!" Red scattered his Pokeballs across the ground. "I accept your challenge on two conditions!"

"Name it."

"This has to be a fair fight!"

"And the other?"

"Abandon Team Rocket!"

"Hehehehahahahahha HA HA HA HA!" Giovanni couldn't help but laugh, covering his laughing grin with his right hand. He lowered his hand, that smiling grin, his blue eyes reflecting Red's determined look on his face. "That's the spirit! Exactly what I'm looking for in a Lieutenant!"

The two trainers dashed across the concrete floor, towards the scattered Pokeballs in the center. Red quickly snatched a Pokeball first as Giovanni was closing in on one himself.

Red threw the Pokeball!

"I will beat you Giovanni! Snorlax!"

The Pokeball flashed opened!

"MEGA PUNCH!"

"SNOOOR!" The giant Snorlax dashed across the room... "... LAAX!?"

Only to be struck down to the ground by a blue fist!

Giovanni smiled, standing there with his hands deep in his pockets. "You're fast all right Red. But a great trainer knows when to let his opponent strike first so as to...

"What the!?" Red stepped away from the blue horned creature as it grabbed the spiral-eyed Snorlax by the chest.

"... use his speed against him!"

"Nido! QUEEEN!" Nidoqueen MEGA PUNCHED! the Snorlax, sending the giant eater flying to the wall!

"No!" Red shouted, seeing his friend thrown towards the wall, creating a giant hole into another room!

Giovanni quickly threw another Pokeball. "Pay attention Red! I beat you with my speed before! Now I'll beat you with your own! Learn something!"

"GOLEM!" Golem flung in the air from the flashing Pokeball.

Red gritted his teeth as he saw the Golem rolling towards him!

Red quickly leapt out of the way, dodging the raging boulder.

"Is he trying to kill me!?" shouted Red.

"This isn't just some gym match Red!" Giovanni chuckled.

Red quickly side-stepped away as the Golem came rolling right back.

Giovanni grinned. "Your battling for your life! Figuratively and literally! Heh Heh heh. What's your next move Red?"

Red quickly ducked as the Golem further and further spiraled out of control, pin-balling across the room!

"Don't panic! Th-think." Red took a deep breath, looking for Poliwrath.

"Po-li..." Poliwrath laid there resting, the ice melting away faster than he thought it did.

"Sh-shoot! Okay then..." Red analyzed the situation.

He could see Golem pinballing across the room, zig-zagging from the floor to the walls to the ceiling surrounding him.

"Golem's bouncing like a pinball, trying to hone in on the spot where my next Pokemon's gonna appear!" Red glanced at three Pokeballs nearby. "But... what if I don't take out another Pokemon in time!?"

"You can't wait forever Red." Giovanni pointed to the young trainer. "Golem! Crush him!"

"GOLEM!" Golem curved to the right before pinballing into the wall, towards Red!

"Oh no! He's right!" Red gritted his teeth.

Red quickly dashed to the right, away from the crushing force of the Golem leaving a trail of grinded floor plating behind.

"It's still pinballing." Red was on the move, seeing the Golem zig-zagging from the wall it pounded. He spotted the giant hole nearby. "Maybe if I just let it keep bouncing, Golem's bound to bounce into that big hole in the wall!"

"Golem!" Golem muttered as he catapulted to the hole.

"And the second it does!" Red smiled. "Snorlax!"

"Snor?" Snorlax got up from the rubble of the hole.

"HEADBUTT!"

Snorlax leaped from the rubble, it's thick head on a collision course to Golem's rock-hard head!

"SNOR!"

GOLEM!?"

Golem was sent back a few feet, it's feet scratching across the ground as the stone behemoth flinched.

"How's that for a hard head!" Red smiled, looking at the Golem's rock-hard body slowly shattering. "Seems your Golem isn't faring well. Golem's shattering."

Giovanni smiled. "It's best attack involves shattering!"

"What!?" Red quickly looked to Golem. "Look out Snorlax!"

"Rock Throw!" Giovanni ordered.

Golem launched it's shattered rocks above Snorlax!

"SNOR!?" Snorlax was sent tumbling to the ground, heavy rocks rained in from above!

Snorlax slowly got up, gritting it's fanged teeth, looking at the barren Golem regrowing it's rock-hard plating.

"And now..." Giovanni reached his hand out to Golem, clenching it into a fist. "EXPLOSION!"

"SNORLAX!" shouted Red.

Golem's new rocks spiraled outwards as a ball of explosive energy erupted from it's core!

"SNOR!?"

Snorlax was engulfed in a fury of explosive energy. Red quickly braced himself as Giovanni stood there watching, smiling with his hands deep in his pockets. The dust eventually settled as Snorlax collapsed to the ground brimming with smoke and bruises.

"Snorlax!" Red shouted, taking a step forward. "Return!"

"Uh-uh-uh." Giovanni smiled.

Red froze, a drop of sweat sliding from the side of his head as he saw death inches away from his neck.

"Too late Red." Giovanni smirked.

Red calmly stood still, glaring at the Beedrill's red piercing eyes, his shiny drill inches away from the boy's throat, awaiting an command.

"One move and Beedrill drills you."

" _He's not kidding._ " Red thought, he could see it in his cold blue eyes. The leader of Team Rocket was ready to make that move.

"The moment you picked Snorlax, I chose explosion for my final attack. I told you you'd learn something. Make every second count Red."

Red slowly backed away from Beedrill's drill, Beedrill slowly fluttered forward with that drill up to the boy's neck, watching for any suspicious movements. Giovanni walked forward, glancing at Red's angry but cautious face, wondering what he could do in such a helpless situation.

"Now Red." Giovanni walked forth, placing his finger on his chin. "Don't you think it's time to give up?"

Red glared at him as his back hit against the wall, ignoring the drill up against his neck.

"Well Red?" Giovanni smiled.

"You're right." Red spoke, a clicking sound emerged from Red's feet.

"What?" Giovanni looked a little surprised.

Suddenly grey wings grew from Red's back.

Red shouted, "Give it up Giovanni!"

"RAAAAAAAAH!" A grey winged beast emerged behind Red, carrying him by the shoulders.

Giovanni looked stunned as Red flew into the air.

"You had a Pokeball under your foot!?"

"Aerodactyl!" Red pointed his finger at the stunned Beedrill down below. "Hyper Beam!"

"RAAAAAH!"

Aerodactyl opened it's jaws, unleashing a chaotic beam of orange energy.

"Bzzz!?" Beedrill froze as the beam's chaotic beam got closer and closer, his red-eyes consumed by the orange light!

"Gah!" Giovanni braced himself quickly.

Smoke and dust exploded from the Hyper Beam across the floor below as Red watched.

"Did we win?" Red watched carefully as the smoke and dust settled. "They're gone... Aerodactyl. Land there!"

Aerodactyl looked to where he pointed, seeing the resting Poliwrath on the floor. Aerodactyl quickly landed near the resting Poliwrath as Red ran towards his first Pokemon!

"Poliwrath!" Red shouted.

"Rhhh!?" Aerodactyl looked shocked, the ground trembling below their feet.

"No! Not now!" Red looked up, the ceiling was shattering! "An earthquake?! The gym's gonna collapse!"

Red quickly turned to Poliwrath, his eyes widened in horror as a slab of concrete rained down to the Poliwrath.

"No! Poliwrath!" Red quickly pushed Poliwrath out of the way! Red screamed in pain, the concrete slamming into his back! "AAAAH!"

The slab of concrete rolled away as Red got up on his knees, tiredly seeing the entrance near them.

"Rrrh?" Aerodactyl looked worried.

Red gritted his teeth in pain as a drop of blood slided from his forehead.

"C'mon. Let's get... g-get out of..." Red's eyes felt tired, his body felt heavier.

Red collapsed but before his body could hit the floor.

"Poli." Poliwrath tiredly held Red in his arms.

Poliwrath placed Red on his back, as he slowly limped towards the exit while Aerodactyl followed behind with concern.

* * *

Poliwrath collapsed to the grassy terrain outside, the sun shining warmly on Red, Poliwrath and Aerodactyl. Red slowly raised his head, opening his eyes, feeling the breath of fresh air breezing through the surrounding area of the collapsed gym.

"Hehehe... we made it..." Red smiled.

"Raaah!" Aerodactyl nodded, standing above.

"Po... li..." Poliwrath muttered on the grass.

"Ergh!" The pain snapping from his back.

Aerodactyl gulped, looking at his trainer trying to bear the pain, his eyes grew wide painfully, Red gritting his teeth. Suddenly the flying dinosaur noticed a giant purple foot stomping to the ground.

"Nido..." A purplish horned giant, much larger than Nidoqueen, stepped forth.

"N-nidoking!?" Red raised his head. "Was he the cause of the earthquake?"

"I'm impressed." Giovanni calmly walked forward.

Red's face was covered in bruises and cuts. His eyes were tired but were motivated with frustration, seeing Giovanni bearing no injuries or cuts on his suit. He just stood there smiling at the young boy lying there on the ground in pain.

Giovanni spoke. "Perhaps you will know the feeling too Red one day, the feeling of boredom because of how a person can be too strong. I, the self-proclaimed strongest trainer, have gotten so bored that I've been playing with Pokemon types outside of my specialty. Cloyster. Beedrill. But... you actually forced me to use my best ground-types! It's been so long since I met a worthy opponent."

Red gritted his teeth, surprised Giovanni still had more Pokemon standing next to him. Giovanni stood there confidently smiling next to his Rhyhorn, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Dugtrio and a Rhydon looming over him, puffs of air breezing out of his nostrils, it's fierce eyes stretching towards Red. Red could tell those Pokemon, each bearing a lust and eagerness for battle, hadn't battled in a long time.

"Ergh!? Aerodactyl!" Red quickly sat up, trying to bear the pain in his shoulder. "Use..."

"Rhyhorn!"

They both shouted, "Tail whip!"

The two Pokemon struck their tails at each other but to Red' surprise, the unevolved Rhyhorn's tiny tail sent the Aerodactyl's larger tail flying.

"Raaagh!?" Aerodactyl was sent crashing into the rubble formerly known as the Viridian Gym.

"So much for your overhead escape..." Giovanni watched. "Now it's time to trap the trainer himself. Rhydon! FISSURE!"

"RHY!" Rhydon raised his clenched fist.

The gargantuan monster slammed his rock-hard fist into the ground, causing Red to lose his balance... no the entire surface he stood on was no more, fracturing into a giant crack across the gym's front lawn! Red found himself falling into the crack!

"ERGH!" Red quickly held on to crack's edge, gritting his teeth as his pain was catching up to him.

The young boy looked up, he could see the leader of Team Rocket staring him down.

"Destroy the opponent's footing." Giovanni smiled. "A good trick to remember Red."

Red held on, silently glaring the man.

"You've fought against quite a few Gym Leaders, each with their own specialty. The 'electric' Surge. The 'poisonous' Koga. The 'psychic' Sabrina. And now me. The Pokemon Master himself. Giovanni. Nidoqueen, Nidoking, Dugtrio, Rhydon and Rhyhorn. The grounded gems of the Viridian City Gym. You know of my prowess don't you?"

" _Giovanni..._ " Red thought. " _The missing Gym Leader. Rumored to be the greatest Pokemon trainer of them all, **the very best, like no one ever was**... and me... without my Pokeballs... all lost in the rubble._"

"Red... just give up. It's more easier than you think."

" _S-should I?_ " thought Red.

Suddenly Red caught a glimpse nearby, something shining red.

"My Pokemon!" Red spotted two Pokeballs nearby. "Ergh!"

Red quickly got up from the cliff running across the rubble, ignoring Giovanni and his team of ground-types.

Giovanni sighed with a smile. "Of course. If you were to give up, I'd never offer you the position in the first place. Dugtrio."

"Trio! Trio! Trio!" Dugtrio hid it's body in the earth.

" _Almost there_!" Red thought, the Pokeballs coming closer and closer in the palm of his hand.

The young boy reached his hand towards the two Pokeballs. Suddenly the earth bursted below them, the Pokeballs sent flying and tumbling closeby.

"What!?" Red gasped.

"Trio! Trio! Trio!" Dugtrio popped out of the earth.

"Ergh!" Red quickly grabbed the two Pokeballs nearby... but it was no good. "No!"

Red landed on his knees, frustrated. He could see Venusaur and Gyarados looking at him concerned through the cracked red glass.

Giovanni calmly walked forth, smiling at the frustrated Red. "A powerful grass and water-type you have there against my ground-types. What's the matter Red? Can't get them out? Hehehe. My attack shattered the opening mechanisms of your Poke Balls. Your Pokemon can't be released until the Pokeballs are repaired. You fought well, Red. You traveled all around this land and survived challenges that no one thought you could. But you never realized... that every place you visited and fought was already under my control!"

Red glared at the horrible man.

"To you, they seemed to be unconnected incidents... but all of your battles were pieces of one great plan! All of the Pokemon we collected for experimental purposes were brought to the labs of Celadon City for bio-modification underneath the Game Corner. The same place you captured that Eevee. Those experimented Pokemon are then put through battle training in the neighboring town of Saffron City under Sabrina's control. The very place where you and your little friends, Green and Blue, fought our largest base of operations. We had the entire city on lock-down, replacing the guards with our own men, keeping any nosy flyers outside by building a giant psychic shield of energy over the city. Next, those Pokemon were taken to Viridian City via Cinnabar Island. Then on to Vermillion City to be put aboard the S.S. Anne where you fought Surge. Transfer had to be accomplished by sea because the northern highways were being watched by the so-called "Good" gym leaders of those cities."

Giovanni walked forward to the nearby forest across the rubble, reaching his hand out as he watched the angry Red.

"And finally. They were brought to the breeding ground where these experimental Pokemon regained their primal, savage powers. Here in the vast depths of the Viridian Forest! To complete a lost link, you could say an attempt to discover a new evolution to Pokemon! With the Viridian Gym Leader "missing," no trainers ever came here looking for a battle. So I've had all the privacy I needed to develop an unstoppable army of Pokemon!"

"Why?" Red muttered. "Why did you created Team Rocket? Why are you using them as tools!? Is it wealth? Control? What is it?"

"Why?" Giovanni smiled. "Young boy. I do understand your sympathy and love for Pokemon. I really do but all that is second to something I want greater. To be stronger."

"To be... stronger?" Red slowly got up.

"Yes. It may sound miniscule to you but..."

"No." Red interrupted. "It makes a lot of sense now."

"Oh? Do tell?"

"The reason you created Team Rocket to steal and experiment on Pokemon's strengths, use Pokemon as tools, your boredom of Pokemon battles that you begun looking into other types outside of your specialty, your title as the self-proclaimed strongest trainer? It all makes sense now." Red said. "You did it to become stronger but your missing one key factor."

"And tell me now? What is that?"

"You see Pokemon as nothing more than tools to victory, instead of your friends that grow and get stronger together! Your right about how the trainer has to fight alongside their Pokemon but your missing the part where Pokemon and trainer bond together! And that's why your going to lose!"

Giovanni grinned as a breeze of rolling leaves moved past him from the Viridian Forest.

"Oh. Is that so?"

" _I can't afford to lose!_ " Red gritted his teeth, glaring at the leader of Team Rocket with one good eye. " _I'm the only one who knows about his plan. The only one who can stop him! This isn't just a battle against a Gym Leader anymore!_ "

Red stood up on two feet, facing the Leader of Team Rocket.

"This is a battle to stop Team Rocket!" Red dashed to the left across the rubble with all his might. "And I'm gonna win!"

"Ha ha ha ha! You haven't changed a bit since the last time I saw you Red!" Giovanni grinned, dashing to the right. "Let me tell you something! Your last Pokemon!"

Red held onto his last and only working Pokeball.

"Pikachu!" Giovanni grinned. "It's greatest weapon is Thunderbolt!"

"Pi!" Pika looked through the Pokeball's red glass, ready to finish this.

"It will take 1 second for the Pokeball to open and Pikachu to emerge. 2 seconds to charge enough energy for the thunderbolt. Then another 2 seconds for the attack to reach me. That's what your aiming for right? That's your only chance of victory. By the time those 5 seconds have elapsed. Nidoqueen will impale you with her Poison Sting!"

Nidoqueen rampaged across the rubble, her razor-sharp horn reflecting Red's head. "NIDO!"

"You think got all the answers, don't you!?" Red threw the Pokeball as it glowed an electrifying yellow, smoke and steam bursting from inside as it shook uncontrollably.

Pikachu held a fierce determination in his eyes within the Pokeball, his cheeks bursting with electrifying power.

"What?!" Giovanni's looked puzzled at the electrifying Pokeball. " _Is he seriously having Pikachu charging up within the Pokeball!? That will shock him! How is able to hold onto that Pokeball?_ "

5

"Pika!" Pikachu popped out the Pokeball bursting with electricity!

"Nido!?" Nidoqueen looked shocked.

4

"Pi!" Pikachu's surrounded electricity grew larger and larger, the burst of surrounding electricity striking lamps, trash cans, metal poles nearby from long distances.

3

Nidoqueen's eye's froze in terror as Giovanni thought to himself. " _No! That's impossible!_ "

2

"DO IT NOW!" Red shouted.

1

"THUNDERBOLT!"

"KA!"

Pika launched his attack. Everyone around and in Viridian City gasped as lightning flashed to the earth where the Viridian Gym was. The charged thunderbolt was so massive and powerful that Nidoqueen, a ground-type, not only felt it coursing through it's body but Giovanni himself got struck by the attack in it's blast radius!

"KYAAAAAAAAH!" Nidoqueen roared in pain!

"AAAAAH!" Giovanni shouted in pain, bracing himself from the flash of electrifying light.

Everyone around and in Viridian City stood quietly, watching silently where the lightning once struck, wind breezing past them. No one echoed a word.

Red stood weakly, smiling as the victor as Pikachu jumped to his side. He saw Giovanni and Nidoqueen falling to the ground, brimming with smoke and electricity. Red looked at the Leader of Team Rocket lying there stunned with his eyes wide opened, no longer bearing that calm cold smirk.

"If Pikachu doesn't have time to charge up after I open the Pokeball... then it'll just charge up inside the Pokeball."

Red raised his hand to the conscious Giovanni, pulling on his glove.

"T-that glove! Team Rocket's electric-proof gloves!" Giovanni looked astonished. "I-I c.. can't believe... that my downfall... was one of my own... weapons..."

Giovanni continued muttering.

"N... no... No one... no one can hold a Pokeball laced with thousands of volts of electricity. No... one..."

"No." Red thought walking away from the rubble, limping one leg behind. "Your downfall..."

The young boy found himself at the edge of Viridian City, smiling weakingly by Pikachu at his side.

"... was the pain I sensed... in the Pokemon you tried... to corrupt for your own... evil..."

Red's eyes whited out.

"Pika?" Pikachu looked to Red.

His eyes were no longer there, his body collapsing.

"Pika!?" Pikachu gasped, running to Red's need.

* * *

Red slowly opened his eyes, finding himself in a soft white bed covered in bandages. He glanced to his left. It was blurry but Red could see a small figure up-close.

"Are you alright?" The little girl's voiced echoed to his ears.

The boy's beaming red eyes could see her warm friendly smile, her golden eyes and her blonde pony tail of hers. He could see Pika smiling in her lap.

"Y-you got a... really great smile..." Red muttered.

"Y-you're alive!" Yellow smiled.

"Pika!" Pikachu smiled.

"AH!" Red quickly got up, startled. He could see the bandages wrapped all over his body. He felt one wrapped around his forehead too! "Giovanni!? And the forest!? What about all the Pokemon!? The ones that were acting strange!?"

Yellow couldn't help but giggle. "You fainted at the edge of the forest. I was afraid for you and... well everything's alright. The people around here finally got up the nerve to do something. They're going into the forest now to calm the Pokemon that were acting up strangely."

"R-really?" Red sighed, feeling relieved.

The young boy quickly got his red jacket, laying his feet on the wooden ground.

Red smiled. "All right! But somethin' tells me they'll need my help!"

"Um..." Yellow sat there looking concerned.

"Something wrong?" Red looked to her.

"Yeah... Viridian's Gym. People say it was destroyed in some huge battle... and well... see... nobody around here is very good with Pokemon." The little girl's cheeks flushed slightly. She let out a light warm smile. "So we were thinking that it might be nice to have someone around to... you know... teach us?"

"Y'mean... me?" Red looked at her puzzled, pointing his finger at himself.

"Uh-huh." Yellow nodded.

Red let out a big smile. "I'd be honored!"

"R-really!" Yellow smiled.

"After I beat the Indigo League! Viridian City will have the best Gym Leader ever! It's a promise!"

"Hee hee..." Yellow giggled. "Thank you Red."


End file.
